Windows Phone 8.1 update to have notification center, Siri-like voice assistant

Washington: As Microsoft prepares to roll out its latest Windows Phone 8.1 updated OS; two of the major additions would include a notification center and Apple's Siri-inspired personal voice assistant.

Sources have revealed that the mobile operating system, set for a launch in April 2014 would feature the highly requested notification center, which will be enabled by swiping down from the top of the screen, similar to iOS and Android.

According to The Verge, quick settings could be accessed by a short swipe from the top, and a longer swipe would display a full notification history.

The personal voice assistant, dubbed 'Cortana', is expected to replace the existing Bing search on Windows Phone and allow users to interact using voice or text input.

Like Apple's Siri and Google Now, Cortana has the ability to learn location context and data from the phone and would automatically remind the user when a meeting is approaching as per the schedule fed by the user.

Other changes with the Windows Phone 8.1 include separate volume controls, addition of Bing Smart Search results, VPN support and separate apps for Xbox Music and Xbox Video , along with allowing social apps like Twitter and Facebook to extend the People Hub, the report added.